Best Digital Cameras to Buy in 2019

Point and shoot, DSLR, mirrorless—with so many types of digital cameras available today, it’s hard to know which one to pick!

We’re here to help, though!

We’re going to review a bunch of different digital cameras and talk about their specs, pros, and cons. At the end of this post, you’ll be able to pick the camera that’s right for you — whether that’s the best DSLR camera money can buy or the most affordable point and shoot.

If you don’t know what the difference is between mirrorless, DSLR, point and shoot and the camera on your smartphone, we’re also going to break that down in the descriptions for each product!

This camera is by far the cheapest digital camera on the list. We like it because it’s an upgrade from using your smartphone’s camera. It has good optical zoom, a pretty large image sensor considering its size, and a nice facial detection autofocus feature for taking family photos. Lots of amateur photographers start out using point and shoot cameras like this one, so this camera is a decent, affordable model to pick up if you’ve never used a digital camera before.

Main Features

20 megapixel image sensor

Optical image stabilizer

720P HD video

8x optical zoom

Facial detection autofocus

Design & Usability

One of the things we love about this camera is that it’s lightweight and compact. It’s one of the most lightweight point and shoot cameras we found when we were doing research for this article.

This camera comes in two different colors—a sleek silver and a bright cherry red. We like that there’s a pretty, colorful option. It definitely ups the aesthetic appeal of this camera and makes it more fun to use.

Another thing that we like about this camera is the facial detection autofocus feature. If you take a lot of family photos, this feature will help make sure that everyone’s faces are in focus instead of the background.

One of the drawbacks of this camera is that it doesn’t have full HD, 1080P video. We also think this camera would be much better from a usability standpoint if it had a tiltable screen, but we can’t really complain at this price point.

Quality & Performance

This camera is definitely a step up from using your smartphone’s camera. It has 8x optical zoom, whereas the iPhone 8 Plus only has 2x optical zoom.

This camera also has image stabilization to prevent your videos from looking shaky and your photos from looking blurry. Some smartphones don’t come equipped with image stabilization, so this feature is a definite plus.

We also think that this camera has a pretty large image sensor given its compact size and its price point. It’s the smallest image sensor on this list, but not by too much, which impressed us. The larger the image sensor, the higher the resolution of your photos, so this 20MP image sensor is a good feature to have.

One of the things that we don’t love about this camera is the slow continuous shooting rate. That means that you won’t be able to take as many photos per second with this camera. You might notice a slow continuous shooting rate if you’re trying to take photos of a sports game. So if you have kids or grandkids who play sports and you want a camera that can capture the action, this might not be the right digital camera for you.

One more drawback of this camera is the short battery life. It can only take about 220 shots on one charge. This model also doesn’t have WiFi, so you won’t be able to wirelessly transfer your images to your smartphone or tablet.

But overall, for the price, this camera is pretty good for taking family photos and traveling if you’re a total novice at photography. It’s a step up from your smartphone’s camera and can help you figure out if you like taking photos enough to upgrade to one of the better, more expensive cameras on this list.

This camera provides great value for money. It’s loaded with features like a tiltable LCD touchscreen that make it a great camera for taking selfies and vlogging. If you want an upgrade from your smartphone’s camera, then get your hands on this mirrorless one from Fujifilm!

Main Features

24.2 megapixel sensor

Remote triggering from smartphones and tablets

Standard ISO range of 200 to 6400

Enhanced autofocus settings

Full HD video recording

Design & Usability

This camera’s compact size makes it easy to fit in your purse or backpack and take with you. It’s only 8.3 x 5.8 inches and 2.7 pounds, so it’s lightweight and easy to hold. It’s great for vlogging because your arms won’t get tired.

It has a large LCD touchscreen that flips up so that you can see exactly what you’re recording. You’ll look like a professional YouTuber and take the best selfies with this camera!

Another useful feature for vloggers and Instagrammers is the eye detection autofocus. It gets automatically activated whenever you rotate the LCD touchscreen and ensures that your eyes are completely in focus. This makes the whole image look sharper and clearer.

There’s also a portrait enhancer mode that makes your skin look brighter, smoother and clearer. Who doesn’t want that in their selfies?

This camera has a sleek aluminum housing with faux leather accents. It has an unmistakably retro style and is a much more visually appealing camera than a lot of the others on this list.

One of the coolest features of this camera is its remote triggering application for smartphones and tablets. All you have to do is download the Fujifilm Remote Camera app to be able to adjust all of your camera’s settings and trigger it remotely. This comes in handy when you want to take a group photo with you, the photographer, in it.

The Remote Camera app also allows you to instantly transfer photos from your camera to your smartphone or tablet. No SD card required!

Quality & Performance

As you can tell, this camera is jam packed with bonus features, but it has a solid foundation of basic functions too. It has a 24.2 megapixel image sensor that’s pretty large for a compact digital camera. The larger the sensor a camera has, the better it performs in low light situations, so this 24.2MP sensor is a fantastic feature.

Large sensors also reduce the amount of graininess in your photos, so this camera produces high quality, clear images and full HD video.

One of the only drawbacks of this camera is the standard lens it comes with. It has a high aperture, which means that it doesn’t let as much light in as other lenses in low light situations.

I also wrote an article about how to make sure you got the best light for your photos:

6. Nikon D3500 DSLR Camera—Best DSLR Camera for Beginners

This Nikon model is by far the best DSLR camera for beginners. It’s set at an affordable price point but doesn’t compromise on quality to get there. It has a large image sensor and a solid standard ISO range that will produce sharp, clear images.
We also think that this camera’s guide mode is one of the things that makes it the best DSLR camera for beginners. If you’re looking for an affordable camera to get your feet wet with photography, then this is the one!

Main Features

24.2 megapixel image sensor

Full HD video

Wireless photo sharing via app

Guide mode to help you learn how to use it

Standard ISO range of 100 to 12,800

Design & Usability

One of the things we love about this camera that makes it so accessible to beginners is the guide mode.

It gives you onscreen instructions that teach you how to adjust important settings and take the best photos in different situations. It addresses common challenges for new photographers like taking photos at night, capturing red tones in sunsets, freezing motion in photos, and more.

This camera also provides beginners with graphics that show the interaction between important settings like shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to help them learn how they work.

Another feature that makes this camera more useable is the Nikon Snap Bridge app. You can download it on your smartphone or tablet and use it to transfer photos from your camera to your device instantly.

One of the main drawbacks of this camera is that it’s bulky. It’s pretty lightweight for a DSLR, but even the best DSLR camera is heavy and unportable compared to a mirrorless one, so that’s something to consider when buying a camera.

Another drawback is the fixed screen. You can’t move or tilt this screen, so if you want to record yourself, you won’t be able to see what the video looks like until you’re done filming.

Quality & Performance

Reviewers say that the autofocus on this camera is very good. They also appreciate the broad ISO range, which allows them to take clear, crisp photos in all kinds of lighting situations.

This camera also has a much better white balance than the older D3400 version, so your photos will have accurate, vibrant colors.

One more thing we appreciate about this camera is the long battery life. You can take up to 1,550 photos on a single charge, so the battery lasts about four or five times longer than mirrorless cameras.

This camera also has a fast continuous shooting speed. It’s able to take five pictures every second, which is pretty impressive.

Now for the bad news. This isn’t the best DSLR camera for filming videos. Nikon cameras don’t have the highest video quality—Canon cameras do. So if you’re looking for the best DSLR camera for shooting videos, take a look at some of the Canon models on this list instead.

One of the other drawbacks of this camera is that the standard lens kit it come with could be better. The lens has a high aperture, so it doesn’t perform very well in low light. You can always buy a different, lower aperture lens, but it is an added expense, so it’s a definite con that you have to replace it.

5. Canon EOS Rebel T7 DSLR Camera—Best DSLR Camera with Accessories

If you’re a beginner who wants a camera with all the accessories you need to get started, then this is the one! It comes with three lenses, an extra flash, two tripods, filters, a card reader, and more all at a great price. Its base features are a little less updated than some of the other DSLRs on this list, but it’s worth the sacrifice to get all of these accessories plus a solid camera for under $500.

Main Features

Standard ISO range of 100 to 6,400

24.1 megapixel image sensor

Comes with every accessory you need to get started

Full HD, high quality video

Built-in WiFi

Design & Usability

This camera comes with every accessory you need to get started—tripods, lenses, an SD card, filters, and more. So unlike some of the other cameras on this list, it’s ready to use right out of the box. You won’t need to go shopping for camera accessories and deal with the headache of making sure your remote trigger, lenses, and filters are all compatible with your camera. You’ll also save hundreds of dollars by buying this bundle.

Another thing that makes this camera a great value is the built-in WiFi. A lot of cameras don’t have this, and it’s something we didn’t expect to see at this price point. You’ll be able to wirelessly transfer all of your photos to your smartphone, which is so much more convenient than using an SD card.

One of the only drawbacks of this DSLR is its bulkiness. You’re not going to be able to stuff it in a pocket like you can with a mirrorless camera.

Quality & Performance

This camera is one of the best, if not the best DSLR camera for recording videos. Canon is known for producing the best video cameras, so the only other one on this list that provides such high quality video is the Canon 6D Mark II.

We also appreciate the large image sensor on this camera, which will help you shoot clear, bright images even in low light situations. It also has a solid ISO range that goes high and low enough to accomodate any lighting situation.

Another positive is the long battery life. DSLRs typically have much longer battery lives than mirrorless cameras, and this DSLR is no exception.

Some of the base features on this camera, like the 9-point autofocus, are a bit outdated. Some cameras have 11-point or even 51-point autofocus systems. The more points the autofocus system has, the more likely it is that your subject will be in focus.

We kind of view this as a positive, though—the sooner you get frustrated by your camera’s autofocus, the sooner you’ll learn manual focus. If you can’t rely on your camera’s autofocus system to do the work for you, it will ultimately make you a better photographer!

Two of this camera’s disadvantages that don’t have a silver lining are the slow continuous shooting rate and the lens kit. It only takes three photos per second, which is pretty slow for a DSLR. If you aren’t a sports photographer who needs to capture action shots fast, you probably won’t notice that this feature is slow.

The high aperture lens kit, however, is something that you’ll notice. It won’t perform super well indoors or in low light situations, so you’ll have to use the flash to capture bright enough shots.

Overall, this is a solid camera for beginners. When you consider the affordable price point and all of the accessories you get with this camera, this bundle is a fantastic option.

This camera doesn’t have the same impressive accessory bundle as the Canon DSLR camera above, but it does beat out that camera in terms of base features. This camera has fast, accurate autofocus, a larger image sensor, and a super fast continuous shooting mode. It’s a little bit more expensive at around $500, and you’ll still need to buy accessories like extra lenses and a tripod, but we think this camera still provides great value because of all of its incredible base features.

Main Features

24.3 megapixel image sensor

Comes with some accessories

11 frames per second continuous shooting mode

25-point autofocus

Tilting LCD screen

Design & Usability

Unlike the Canon EOS Rebel T7 which has a fixed screens, this camera’s LCD screen is tiltable. It doesn’t flip up a full 180 degrees like the Fujifilm camera we reviewed, but it is still nice that it tilts at all.

Another plus is that this camera is lightweight and portable. Mirrorless cameras are a lot smaller than DSLRs, which makes them great for traveling and taking with you.

Another advantage of this camera is that it has built-in WiFi. You’ll be able to share photos to your smartphone or tablet instantly, which is a lot easier and more convenient than using an SD card.

We also like the fact that this bundle comes with some accessories. You’ll get a camera bag, a camera cleaning kit, some photo editing software, filters, and a few other items. Some reviewers said that the quality of the extra items wasn’t the best, so that’s something to keep in mind.

Quality & Performance

This camera has a higher quality and performance than you’d expect at this price point. It has a large image sensor that will help you take clear, crisp photos in low light situations.

It also has a 25-point autofocus, which is much higher than the 9-point autofocus system of the Canon camera we just reviewed. You won’t have any issues getting this camera to focus on your chosen subject like you might with the Canon camera.

This camera also has a fast burst mode that delivers continuous shooting speeds of 11 frames per second. That means that it’s capable of taking 11 photos per second for short periods of time, which is a pretty impressive figure.

Although this camera has some very solid base features, it does have some drawbacks.

We haven’t loved most of the kit lenses that come with the cameras on this list, and this lens is no exception. It has a high aperture, so it doesn’t work well in low light situations. One reviewer even called it “junk” and said that this lens doesn’t take much better pictures than a smartphone camera!

The Alpha a6000 has excellent base features, but you might not get to enjoy them as much if you keep this lens on it.

Like most mirrorless cameras, this one doesn’t have a long battery life. One reviewer said it “eats through batteries quickly” and another said that her batteries die after fifteen to twenty minutes. Sony gives you three batteries with each camera, but it’s a pretty big hassle to have to stop and replace the battery every half hour.

Another drawback is that this camera has a smaller, lower resolution viewfinder than some older Sony cameras. But overall, this camera is a great buy with lots of up-to-date base features.

3. Nikon D7500 DSLR Camera—Best DSLR Camera at a Midrange Price Point

This camera was almost the best DSLR camera on our list, and you can see why. It has a 51-point autofocus, which is the best autofocus you can get. It has all the bells and whistles that you’d want like a tilting LCD touchscreen, 4K video, a fast continuous shooting mode, and more. If you’re willing to spend a bit more money on a midrange camera, this one is a fantastic choice with hardly any drawbacks.

Main Features

51-point autofocus

8 frames per second continuous shooting mode

Tilting LCD touchscreen

20.9 megapixel image sensor

4K video

Design & Usability

This camera has a bunch of features that make it easier to use. It has an app for convenient photo sharing to your smartphone or tablet, plus a tilting LCD touchscreen that’s intuitive and easy to use. It also has a long battery life that allows you to take around 950 photos on just one charge. You won’t have to reload extra batteries into your camera every half hour like you might with a mirrorless camera, so that’s a huge plus.

This camera is also rugged and durable. It has weather sealing that will prevent dust and moisture from getting into the camera and damaging it.

The only drawback of this camera from a design standpoint is its bulkiness. That’s a disadvantage of even the best DSLR camera. They’re all bulkier than mirrorless cameras, but we think it’s a small tradeoff for longer battery life.

Quality & Performance

This is a class leading DSLR camera. It has the best autofocus that you can get—51-point. This autofocus system will have no trouble focusing in on your chosen subject. If you think that you’ll have trouble using your camera’s manual focus, it might be worth investing in a camera like this that has super reliable autofocus.

This camera also has a burst continuous shooting mode that delivers speeds of 8 frames per second. That means that this camera is capable of taking 8 shots per second for a short period of time. This makes it great for action shots and sports photography.

You’ll also produce some fantastic images with this camera. It has excellent image quality, along with impressive 4K video. Even though Canon is known for having better video quality than Nikon, this camera will still produce high quality videos that you’ll be proud to upload to YouTube.

The only drawback of this camera is that it has a slightly smaller image sensor than the other cameras on this list, so it may not perform as well in low light situations. We think that all of the other advanced features like the autofocus and 4K video make up for it, though!

We think that this camera has a lot of great base features for the price. It has a built-in image stabilization system, which many cameras on this list don’t have. It has a large image sensor plus good autofocus and ISO. It’s a great camera for beginners and advanced photographers alike.

Main Features

25-point autofocus system

Built-in image stabilization system

Tiltable LCD screen

Standard ISO range of 100 to 25,600

24.3 megapixel image sensor

Design & Usability

One of the things we love about this camera is that it has a built-in image stabilization system. Some of the other cameras on this list rely on lenses to add image stabilization and don’t have it built into the body of the camera. Since the Sony Alpha a7II does have an image stabilization system in the body, you can use whatever kind of lens you want, including vintage lenses.

All you have to do to use your old vintage lenses on any mirrorless camera is buy some adapters. That’s one of the major advantages of owning a mirrorless camera—you can buy vintage lenses and adapters for it cheaply instead of having to drop hundreds of dollars on new lenses.

Another thing we appreciate about this camera is the tiltable LCD screen. It tilts up 90 degrees and down 45 degrees. Although it doesn’t tilt as much as the Fujifilm camera we reviewed, it’s still a nice feature to have.

One of the only things we think could be better about the design of this camera is the weight. It weighs 1.3 pounds, which is more than the original Sony A7. The original model only weighs 1.04 pounds, so it’s a fairly significant difference. This camera is still more lightweight than DSLR cameras, which usually weigh in at around 1.7 pounds, but we wish it were just a little lighter.

Quality & Performance

This camera has a more rugged build than its predecessor, which we definitely appreciate. It also has a faster, more accurate 25-point autofocus system than the old model. This camera is definitely a big step up from the original Sony A7.

We also like that this camera has a large image sensor—larger than the Nikon DSLR that’s in this same price point. It also has a good ISO range, so it will produce high quality images in a variety of lighting situations.

This brings us to the bad news, though—the kit lens that comes on this camera isn’t very good for low light situations, just like most of the kit lenses that come with the other cameras on this list. Luckily it’s easy and cheap to replace this camera’s lens—you’ll be able to find high quality vintage lenses for a good price online and at thrift stores and use them with this camera without image stabilization issues.

One of the other cons of this camera is that it doesn’t have 4K video. The midrange Nikon camera does have 4K video, so we’re a little disappointed that Sony didn’t upgrade this camera from 1080P to 4K.

One more drawback of this camera is the short battery life. Battery life is a tradeoff you make when you go with mirrorless. This camera can handle about 350 shots before you have to change the battery, although one reviewer said she can only get in about 50 shots before she has to replace it.

1. Canon EOS 6D Mark II DSLR Camera—Best Camera of 2019

This camera is the best DSLR camera—and best camera—of 2019. Any Canon camera from the Mark line is going to offer fantastic quality, but we think that this model strikes a great balance between price and features. It has the largest image sensor of any camera on this list, a great 45-point autofocus system, and more. Keep reading to learn about all of the features that make this the best DSLR camera and best camera of 2019!

Main Features

45-point autofocus

26.2 megapixel image sensor

Standard ISO range of 100 to 40,000

WiFi and GPS

Fully articulating LCD touchscreen

Design & Usability

We love that this camera has a fully articulating LCD touchscreen. It makes taking photos and videos so much easier because you can see what you’re doing and what the image or video will look like.

This camera also has WiFi and GPS, which are helpful features that allow you to wireless transfer photos and see exactly where they were taken.

The Canon 6D Mark II also has a rugged build that makes it great for taking with you. It won’t get damaged in transit and can stand up to some wear and tear, so you’ll have it for years.

Like a lot of the DSLR cameras on this list, the Canon 6D Mark II has a great battery life. You won’t have to replace the batteries every hour like you would with a mirrorless camera.

The only thing that we don’t love about the design of this camera is its bulkiness. Like all DSLRs, this camera is a bit bulky and heavy, especially compared to mirrorless.

Quality & Performance

The 45-point autofocus system, great ISO range, and huge 26.2 image sensor all combine to get you the best quality photos out of any camera on this list. This camera works well in low light and pretty much any lighting situation. It’s a professional quality camera that will get you great results.

One reviewer who photographs weddings professionally said he traded in his Canon EOS 5D Mark III, which is considered to be a better, more professional camera, for this 6D Mark II. He said it produces nearly identical quality photos at a much better price, so after doing a cost-benefit analysis, he sold his 5D camera bodies and opted for this one instead.

You’ll get high quality, in-focus photos and videos with lots of detail when using this camera. Unfortunately, though, you won’t get 4K video. It’s not the end of the world considering how good the autofocus is at capturing clear videos, but 4K video would definitely take take this camera over the top.

We still think that it’s a great value and the best DSLR camera of 2019.

Final Verdict

These digital cameras are the ones that we think are best, but ultimately, the best DSLR camera or digital camera is the one that’s right for you.

Before you purchase a camera, you should consider a few things:

Size – If size and portability is the most important thing to you, then narrow your focus down to mirrorless or point and shoot cameras. They tend to be much smaller than DSLRs.

Image quality – Larger sensors result in better image quality, so if you want the highest quality images, focus on the midrange cameras on this list that have larger image sensors.

Video quality – If video quality is important to you, focus on cameras from Canon, or any camera that offers 4K video, like the Nikon D7500 camera on this list. Canon is known for having the best video quality, but any camera with 4K video technology will get you great quality, too.

Battery life – If battery life is important to you, focus on DSLR cameras. They’re known for having better battery life on the whole.

Price – If price is the most important factor, go with a point and shoot camera or an entry level DSLR or mirrorless that comes with lots of accessories, like the Canon EOS Rebel T7. An entry level DSLR or mirrorless bundle will save you money in the long run because you won’t have to invest in a lot of accessories or upgrade your camera for quite a while.

We hope that this article has helped you pick the right camera for you. Which model are you thinking of purchasing? Let us know in the comments below!

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